Shoe sewing machines



Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH 1=:r AL 2,972,331 6 SHOE SEWING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 [n venforsa Fred flshworf/L Joseph foannf/ZJ 45 B7 fheiffltzfor'ney Fa m mw Feb. 21, 1961 F.ASHWORTH ETAL 2, 1

' SHOE SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH ETAL 5 3 SHOE SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 v 9 sheets-sheet s Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH firm.

SHOE SEWING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH ETAL 2,972,316

SHOE SEWING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed 001;. 28, 1955 Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH ETAL 2,972,316

SHOE SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH EI'AL 2,972,316

SHOE SEWING MACHINES Q SheetS-Sheet 7 Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 A PUMP! Feb. 1961 F. ASHWORTH ETAL 2,972,316

SHOE SEWING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet '8 7 Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 Feb. 21, 1961 F. ASHWORTH EI'AL SHOE-SEWING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 Fly. 12

United Sttes Patent SHOE SEWING MACHINES Fred Ashworth, Wenham, and Joseph R. Ioannilli, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application Oct. 28, 1955, Ser. No. 543,42t,

now Patent No. 2,928,361, dated Mar. 15, 1960. Drvided and this application May 29, 1958, Ser. No.

15 Claims. (Cl. 11236) This invention relates to improvements in straight hook needle lock stitch shoe sewing machines of the McKay type similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,670,701, granted March 2, 1954, on an application filed in the names of the present inventors. More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in work feeding and stitch forming devices particularly useful in such sewing machines. This application is a division of application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 543,428, filed October 28, 1955, in the names of the present inventors, now United States Letters Patent No. 2,928,361, granted March 15, 1960.

Among the objects of the present invention is that of providing in a needle feed machine a loop spreader which requires a minimum amount of adjustment and retains optimum operating relationship with the needle over extended periods of use.

Another object is to provide a means for adjusting the relative timing of the needle and beaks of a multi-beak shuttle without, at the same time, interfering with the critical timing of other thread control instrumentalities of the machine.

Still another object is to provide irnproved locking thread case retaining devices which operate reliably and are unaffected by accumulations of lint and other foreign matter about the shuttle.

Another object of the invention is economically to prevent serious damage which might be caused to needle threading devices by obstructions to their movement.

Another object is to provide needle threading means which operates to thread a needle during a smaller part of each sewing cycle than in prior art machines of the same general type but without operating at greater average speeds.

In the achievement of the foregoing objects one feature of the invention relates to the mounting of the loop spreader upon a work feeding awl and needle bar carriage. The loop spreader is pivoted on the carriage, its only movement being toward and away from the needle. By eliminating other movements, such as relative movement between the needle and the loop spreader along the line of the seam, connections for actuating the loop spreader are greatly simplified and the probability of changes in alinement between the loop spreader'and the needle are substantially eliminated.

Another feature relates to an adjustable connection between the sewing shaft and the shuttle comprising a gear mounted on an intermediate shaft interposed between the sewing shaft and the shuttle. The gear is adjustably se-. cured on the intermediate shaft and its position relative to the intermediate shaft may be changed for advancing or retarding the approach of a shuttle beak toward the tail corresponding modifications in other parts of the machine, the over-all adjustment of the machine for optimum sewing conditions is greatly simplified.

Another feature of the invention relates to the arrangement of thread case retainers actuated by connections with the intermediate shuttle drive shaft rather than by cam surfaces formed upon the body of the shuttle itself as in prior art machines. The thread retainers are constructed and arranged in such a manner that the area before the shuttle remains free of obstruction. As a result the locking thread supply may be more readily reneedle without, at the same time, affecting the timing of other thread control devices such as the take-up, for exchine operatorand, because its adjustment does not enplenished than in prior machines and there is also less likelihood that the operation of the retainers will be affected by lint and other deposits from the thread.

In order to prevent damage to needle threading instrumentalities a feature of the invention relates to the incorporation of a slip joint among the connections for driving a whirl by which the needle is threaded, the whirl being mounted at the tip of a shoe entering horn which encloses an angularly oriented shaft connected directly to thewhirl and a hollow thread conducting shaft mounted concentrically with the axis of horn rotation. The slip joint is advantageously located at the top of the thread conducting shaft and comprises the mounting of a bevel gear by'means of which the angularly oriented shaft is driven through a bevel pinion in mesh with the gear. e

In order to minimize the part of the sewing cycle consumed by the threading of the needle, a variable speed drive is incorporated among the driving connectionsof the whirl, according to another feature of the invention; The variable speed drive causes the rotary movement of sewing cycle. As a consequence a greater portion of the sewing cycle may be devoted to work penetrating movement of the needle, an arrangement which is particularly advantageous in a machine such as the present one,

which is intended for operating upon work thickness. Other features which will be clarified from a detailed of extreme description of the specific embodiment of the invention include a movable needle-contacting member or guide for reinforcing the needle against lateral forces during work feeding movement. mounted in the needle bar and provided with a ball-and socket lock connection for 'driving it in one direction and a pin-and-slot connection for driving it in another direc' tion in accordance with corresponding movements of the needle bar.

Additional features of the invention, as hereinafter'described and claimed, will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view looking from the right side and front of a McKay type lockstitch shoe sewing ma-. chine in which the features of the present invention are embodied;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view on an enlarged scale" looking from the right front and above the level of a.

shuttle and its driving mechanism in the machine of Fig. 1, with certain parts broken away and separatedfor clarity of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the shuttle, its driving connections and mountings in the machine head frame;

Fig. 4 is a detail view on a somewhat reduced scale and in front; elevation. of the shuttleand aportion or;

Patented Feb. 21, 1961,

By includ- The needle guide is slidably a shoe being sewn, certain parts having been broken away;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of portions of the shuttle and shoetaken while sewing work of increasing thickness;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same parts taken while sewing work of decreasing thickness;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view, looking from the right front of the machine and illustrating particularly a feed carriage for aneedle, an awl and a loop spreader;

Fig. 8 is a detail view partly in section showing a needle bar, needle guide, and connections between the two;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view looking from the right side of the machine, showing a driving and stopping mechanism employed therein;

Fig. 10 is a view in right side elevation and in section of a rotary horn mounting and combined thread controller and measuring device employed in the machine;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in section of a portion of the driving mechanism for a needle threading whirl employed in the machine; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a spacer frame for the horn mounting, partly broken away to show the underlying mechanism in section.

The illustrated machine is similar, except as hereinafter pointed out, to the lockstitch McKay type, rotary horn shoe sewing machine disclosed in inventors prior Patent No. 2,670,701, identified above. Referring to Figs. 1 and 4 to,6, inclusive, of the drawings, the ma-.

chine is provided with stitch-forming devices including a straight reciprocating hook needle 2, a straight awl 4, a multiple beak deep-toothed shuttle or looptaker 6, and a rotating needle threading looper in the form of a whirl 8 (see Fig. 7) at the upper end of a work support in the form of a rotary shoe entering horn 10, the horn having a needle receiving opening 11 at its upper end in alinement with the needle. To clamp a shoe on the horn a presser foot 12 having a forked end is secured to the lower end of a verticallyy reciprocating presser foot bar 14 at the side of the work with the needle, the needle passing through the fork in the foot. To actuate the stitch-forming devices the machine has mechanisms driven by a main, sewing shaft 15 connected to them.

"In order to enable work of greater thickness than heretofore to be operated upon, the needle and awl of the presentmachine are actuated with a greater reciprocating movement than in prior machines and the lengths.

of these work penetrating instruments have been correspondingly increasedto accommodate essential clearances when work up to athickness of 1% inches is being sewn. For actuating the needle and awl, they are secured to the lower ends of separate reciprocating bars 16 andlfi' (Fig. 7) retained for sliding movement within a box-like carrier 20, the needle moving laterally in a direction of work feed while in engagement with the work a distance equal to the length of a stitch to impart feeding movement to the work. For a complete disclosure of the mechanism for actuating the needle and awl, reference may he had to United States Letters Patent No. 2,737,134, granted March 6, 1956, and No. 2,767,004, granted October 16, 1956, both in the names of the present inventors.

For supporting the needle against lateral forces during feeding movement a needle engaging member orneedle guide 21 is associated with the needle, as best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The needle guide 21 has an integral shank slidable in a groove 22 formed in the nee le bar 16, and novel connections are included in the organization of the needle bar and awl bar carrier for actuating the needle guide advantageously from the needle bar 16. These connections, shown inFig. 8, include a ball-and-socket connection, the ball 23 of which is resiliently urged into a Socket 24 formed in the needle bar. A leaf spring 25 secured at one end by a screwlfi to the needle guide21- yieldingly-urges'the ball 23 into the sgcket,i2 4 :until .suchtime.v as the needle guide in descending toward the work with the needle in its work penetrating stroke encounters resistance such as contact with the presser foot 12. When resistance is encountered by the needle guide 21 the ball-and-socket connection 23, 24 is disengaged and thereafter the needle guide is maintained in contact with whatever obstruction impeded the movement ofthe needle guide by a compression spring 27 placed in a slot 28 in the needle guide and acting hetween'thc guide at the lower end of the slot and a pin 29 pressed into the needle bar at the bottomof the slot 21. and extending forwardly into the slot 28. After the ball-and-socket connection is released, the pin 29 travels downwardly in the slot 28, having no effect on the needle guide but compressing the spring 2'7 until the needle 2 reaches the lowermost point of itstravel. After the hook inthe needle has been threaded by the whirl 8, the needle starts to retract and once it has cleared the whirl the carrier 2% imparts a feeding movement to the work, as explained in Patent No. 2,737,134, and in this feeding movement the needle is reinforced against breakage by the needle guide which has remained in contact with the upper surface of the presser foot 12;. As the needle continues upwardly, the needle guide remains in contact with the presser foot but the spring 2'7 expands until the pin29 engages the guide at the upper end of the slot 25. Thereafter the needle guide 21 moves upwardly away from the work with the needle bar 16. It is thus seen that the pin-and-slot connection 28, 29 causes movement of the needle guide 21 in one direction with the needle bar and that the ball-and socket con nection 23, 24 is employed for releasabiy causing the needle guide to move in the other direction with the needle bar.

The multiple beak loop taker 6 of the present machine is constructed with five double beaks formed in parallel plates 3% (see Fig. 3) and in a toothed gear ring 31 secured together in a unitary structure, the present fivebeak shuttle 6 differing fromthat in the machine of Patent No. 2,670,701, by the provision of an additional beak. The arrangement of thebeaks in the plates 30 and the ring 31 is generally similar to that in the patented machine and each beak is brought successively to a position for reception of a loop of thread drawn through the work by the needle as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings while a loop previously formed and carried about a locking thread case 32 within the shuttle is being contracted. As each loop is carried about the locking thread case the shuttle causes the stitch formed by the preceding loop to be drawninto the work and to be set securely at a predetermined position within the work.

In order to provide thread for each succeeding loop of thread drawn through the work by the needle, 21 combined thread controller and pull-oft" member 33 is provided, as best shown in Fig, 10. The controller is actuated while each loop of thread is being enlarged by the shuttle to draw back a short length of thread from the work so that it will be available as the threaded needle is retracting from the work with the succeeding loop. The drawback action of the thread controller enables one-half the length of each needle loop to be paid out at the proper time, the other half being withdrawn through the work from the previously formed stitch.

in the present machine the combined controller and puli-olfmem'oer is actuated toward and away from the needle thread running between front or upper and rear or lower thread locks 34 and 35 (see Fig. 10). To pay out the thread provided by the measuring movements, the thread measuring movements of the controller are adjusted automatically by the thickness of the Work operated upon and are timed with relation to the requirements of the other stitch-forming devices in a manner to insure satisfactory results. The controller pullsoff' a length of thread from the supply in accordance with the thickness of the work andaiso draws back sufficient,

threadfrom the work so that the threaded needle may retract from'the work during formation of-the succeeding stitch without inducing a sliding movement of the thread engaging the needle hook during the retraction. A proportioning connection is provided for causing the controller member 33 to draw back a greater amount of thread when operating upon thin work than when operating upon thick work. When work of a maximum thickness of 1%. inches is being sewn there is no thread drawn back by the thread controller, the length of thread measured for each stitch being just sufficient for the full needle retracting stroke. In the illustrated machine the amount of thread drawn back is equal to that required by the threaded needle less the length measured by the pull-01f action. Since the connections included in the machine between the controller member 33 and a work calipering feeler 40 (shown in Figs. 4 to 6) are not a part of the present invention, they will not be described further, but they may be more fully understood by reference to the above-identified parent application.

In the present machine the framework comprises a machine head frame 42 in which the needle, awl, shuttle and main sewing shaft are supported. The machine head frame 42 is in turn supported upon a subframe 44 which encloses a novel driving and stopping mechanism indicated at 46 and more fully described in the parent application and in another application Serial No. 673,809, filed July 24, 1957, now Patent No. 2,936,727, granted May 17, 1960. Driving means in the form of an electric motor 48 is enclosed in a hollow base 50 upon which rests the subframe 44. Extending forwardly from thebase 50 is a treadle 52 for starting and stopping the machine and controlling its operating speed. The framework which is more fully described in the parent application will not be referred to further herein except as necessary for the purpose of clarifying associated mechanisms to which this application more particularly relates.

To supply thread to the locks and the pull-off member, a rotatable thread supply device 60, similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,909,157, granted May 16, 1933, on an application of Erastus E. Winkley, is mounted on the right side of the subframe 44. From the thread supply device 60 the needle thread indicated at 62 extends downwardly and is carried about a pulley 64 rotatable on a bracket 66 secured to the subframe, through an opening 68 in the subframe to a pulley 70 on a wax pot 72 and downwardly and upwardly through the wax pot andover a pulley 74 on a spacer frame 76. The spacer frame 76 is in turn secured at its lower margin by bolts 78 upon the hollow subframe 44 which is formed with a shelf-like projection at the front of the machine for a rotary mounting of the shoe-enter.- ing horn 10. From the pulley 74 the thread, passes at an upward inclination to the vertical and under a roll 80 (see Fig. and vertically through the rear thread lock 35. From the rear thread lock 35 the thread passes over a pulley 82 rotatable on a projection from a cylindrical crown 84 secured at its lower margin to-the upper surface of the spacer frame 76 by bolts, one of which is shown at 86 in Fig. 10. From the pulley 82 the thread passes horizontally to the pull-off pulley member 33 and in the opposite direction to a pulley 88 mounted for rotation on a projection from the crown 84. From the pulley 88 the thread extends upwardly through the front lock 34 and through the axis of rotation of the horn 10 in accordance with the-usual practice in a machine utilizing a rotary horn. The roll 80 (Fig. 12) is mounted for rotation in a slot formed in a rib projecting from the hub of a lever 91) upon which the controller member 33 is mounted. To prevent escape of the thread from engagement with the roll 80 the rib of the controller lever 90 has mounted upon it a spring clip 92 which closes the slot in which the roll 80 is mounted.

For transferring each loop of thread drawn through the work by the needle to the loop taker 6 a convenient form of loop spreaderis provided comprising a curved rod 110 (Fig. 7) secured at one end in a SOCkCi'wPI'Og vided in a crossbar 112 and at its other end formed with a notch to support one side of each needle loop in the path of a loop taker beak. The crossbar 112 is fixed at its ends in a pair of parallel arms 114, 116. The arm 116 has pinned to it a stud- 118 rotatably mounted in the needle and awl carrier 20. The arm 114 is'a part of an actuating lever for the loop spreader and has pinned to it a stud 120, also rotatably mounted in the carrier 20, the loop spreader'arms being mounted on the carrier to cause the loop spreader to move toward and from the path of the needle into engagement with each needle loop for accurate presentation of the loop to the loop taker. Inasmuch as the needle feeds the work while in engagement therewith and the loop spreader moves with the needle during its work feeding and back feeding movements, no special provision is necessary to maintain the spreader in alinement with the needle as a result of its feeding and back feeding movements.

To actuate the loop spreader, the lever formed by the arm 114 carries a ball headed stud 122 surrounded at its ball end by a socket at the lower end of a vertical link' 124.- At the upper end of the link 124 is a similar socket surrounding the ball end of a stud 126 secured in an arm 128 made fast to the forward end of a shaft 130 having ends rotatably mounted in the head frame 42 and upon which are supported some of the mechanisms for actuat ing the presser foot 12. At its rearward end the shaft 130 has secured to it an arm 132 carrying a roll 134 engaging a groove in a cam disk 136.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the arrangement of the shuttle or loop taker 6 is generally similar to that disclosed in inventors Patent No. 2,670,701, the shuttle being located at the side of the work with the needle and arranged to take a loop of thread from the needle with one of its beaks while another beak retains control of the previously formed loop of needle thread. The shuttle is gear driven from the sewing shaft 15 with a driving ratio corresponding to the number of beaks on the shuttle less one to the whole number of beaks. The driving ratio of the gear drive connecting the shuttle with the sewing shaft is to 1, there being five beaks, and the throat of each beak is formed with a deep recess between two adjacent teeth on the shuttle gear ring 31. Within the shuttle is rotatably mounted the locking thread case 32 arranged to be held from rotation with the shuttle by a pair of retainer members 146 and 148 formed with con ical nibs at their ends engaging perforations 150 and 152 in an outer flange on the thread case. To provide support for the locking thread supply bobbin, indicated at 154 (Figs. 2 and 4), the center of the thread case has projecting from it a ferrule 156 fitting within the hub of the bobbin V Asin Patent No. 2,670,701, the illustrated shuttle includes the hollow gear ring 31 meshing with teeth on a driver gear 158. Thedriver gear 158 is secured to a flange at the forward end of a driver shaft 160 carrying at its rearward end a driven arm 162 of a drag link con- 'nection, including a drag link 164 and a driving crank 166 secured to a constant speed shaft 168 rotatably mounted in the head frame. The constant speed shaft 168 is connected to the sewing shaft 15 through a pair of meshing spur gears 170 each secured to one of the shafts.

In the machine of inventors Patent No. 2,670,701,

thread case retaining members are provided secured to levers fulcrumed on a pin passing in front of the area of intermeshing engagement between the driver gear and the gear ring in the shuttle. As a consequence, the area in front of the intermeshing position of the gears is ob.- structed, causing inconvenience in removal of thread ends thrown off by the shuttle and nipped within the mesh of the driver gear and the gear ringj Furthermore, the driver gear of the patented machine is provided with face cams for actuating the retainer members alternately to.- ward and from engagement with the thread case. If an attempt is made to change the position of the driver gearon the driver shaft so as to accelerate or retard the entry of a shuttle beak into a needle loop, the times of operation of the thread case retainer members will be changed correspondingly. Change in the times of operation of the thread case retainer members may resultin dilficulty from improper release of the needle loops from the shuttie; To avoid these difficulties the mechanisms for act'uating the thread case retainer members in the illustrated machine have been modified to provide a space surrounding the driver gear, which space is clear of obstruction from the front of the machine, affording convenient re moval of thread ends nipped by the mesh of the driver gear and the gear ring. Also, a cam drum for the retainer member actuating mechanisms has been secured to the driver gear shaft independently of the driver gear so that the-position of the driver gear may be shifted with respect to its shaft and the timing of the shuttle correspondingly adjusted without changing the times of operation for the thread case retainer members.

To. provide space surrounding the shuttle driver gear and, particularly, directly in front of the area in the machine between the driver gear and the shuttle, the retainer members 146 and 148 are secured by split hub portions and clamp screws 172 to a pair of parallel shafts 174 and 176 rotatably mounted in bearings 178 screwed to a shuttle raceway and drive enclosing frame 180. For mounting the shuttle driver shaft 160 on the head frame the rearward end of the shaft engages a bearing in the frame and the forward end of the shaft has a disk-like head, to the rear of which is located a bearing supported by a circular plate 182 bolted to the head frame 42. The drive: enclosing frame-1S5 is in turn secured to the plate 182.

v Toactuate the retainer supporting shafts 174 and E76 their upper ends carry a pair of similar gear segments 184 and 13a; engaging teeth on a pair of parallel rack bars 138 and 1% guided for sliding movement in the bearing supporting plate 182. The rack bars extend through the plate and carry at their rearward ends a pair of rolls 192 and 194 engaging grooves in a cam drum 196 secured to the shuttle driver shaft 16%. At the front ends of the rack bars 188 and. 198 the shafts 1 74 and 176 lie outside the, diameter of the driver gear 158 and of the shuttle itself; there being no obstruction in front of either. The rack bars move in the plate 182 in a direction parallel to the axis of the shuttle driver gear shaft E60, so that they. never move within the diameter of the driver gear.

To provide adjustment for the timing of the shuttle without producing a corresponding change in timing of the thread case retainer members, the shuttle driver gear. 158 is secured to the shuttle driver shaft by three clamp screws 198 passing through arcuate slots in the driver gear and extending into engagement with threaded openings in the disk-like head of the driver shaft 160. The center of the driver gear also is bored to receive a reduced end on the shuttle driver shaft, preventing a shift of the driver gear from its concentric relation with the driver shaft. Loosening the clamp screws 1% enables the shut tle driver gear to be reclamped in any one of a number of different angular positions, corresponding to different timed relationships between the shuttle and-the other stitch-forming devices. Change in the timed relationship of the shuttle produces no corresponding change in the times of actuation for the thread casev retainer members, inasmuch as the thread case retainer members are driven from the cam drum 1% which remains in fixed angular position on the driver shaft 16f at all I times.

The main sewing shaft 15 is connected to the driven shaft indicated at 202 of the driving and stopping mechanism 46 by drivingelements including an inclined shaft 2% as shown in Figs. 1 and 9. T he shaft 2% has secured to its lower end a gear 2% which meshes with a similar gear 293 having a hub extending through a bearing 210 and having a splined connection with the shaft 2G2. A bevel gear 211' is fixedly supported near the upper end of the shaft-2M and meshes with a similar gear (not shown) mounted upon the main sewing shaft 15. The gear Zilti' on the inclined shaft 204 has two-thirds as many teeth as the gear 298 and the gear 211 has twothirds as many teeth as the companion gear on the sewing shaft 15 with which it meshes so that the main sewing shaft is rotated with the speed of the driven shaft 202. For driving the vertical shaft 2% a horizontal shaft 212 is rotatable in bearings supported by the subframe inaiinement with the shaft 2G2 with which it has a splined connection. The shaft 212 is coupled to the vertical shaft 209 by a pair of equal bevel gears 214 and 216 mounted on horizontal and vertical shafts re spectively. Consequently the vertical shaft 200 which rotates at the same speed as the driven shaft 202 is also driven at a one-to-one speed ratio with the main sewing shaft 15.

The rotating variable speed ratio drive includes the vertical shaft 260 and a cage secured to its upper end (see Fig. 11). The cage includes a triangular plate 221 secured to the shaft 206 and connected with a similar plate 222. The plate at the upper end of the shaft 200 and the plate 222 are connected'by three vertical spindles 22- 5 passing through the plates at their corners. One of the spindles 224- at the left of Fig. 11 has rotatable on it a gear segment 226 formed with teeth engaging those of a pinion 228 mounted in alinement with the vertical shaft 200. The pinion 228 is secured to the lower end of a driving shaft 23%] for a set of step-up gears connected to the Whirl 8 and arranged to drive the whirl two revolutions for one of the vertical shaft 200. As the cage comprising, the plate 222 and the spindles. 224 is rotated, the segment 226 is oscillated to impart a variable speed rotating drive to the step-up gear driving shaft 229i). To oscillate the segment 226 it has passing through it approximately half way between its mounting spindle 3,24 and its toothed periphery a pin 232, the ends of which are secured in two eccentric straps 234 and 236.7 The strap 234 surrounds an eccentric 238, the hub of which istfixed by a key 24b to an intermediate partition within the spacer frame 76. The plate 222 is rotatably mounted on the. hub of an eccentric 242 passing through an opening at the upper end of a cylindrical enclosure 244 surrounding the variable speed drive and having a flange about its lower edge made fast by four screws 246 (Fig. 12) to a disk 248 (Fig. 11), in turn secured to the intermediate partition of the spacer frame 76. The key 24% also engages a keyway in the disk 248 to ensure assembly of the disk in proper angularrelation to the other parts. The hub of the eccentric 242 is held from rotation in the cylindrical enclosure 244 by a key 25%, the arrangement being such that the straps 2-34 and 23d rotate about their respective eccentrics together for imparting an oscillating. movement to the gear segment 226. As the cage rotates about the respective hubs of the eccentrics, the vertical shaft 2% and the driving shaft 23%? for the step-up gear set are held in alinement. The lower end of the shaft 239 is of reduced diameter to fit within a: bearing in the triangular plate at the upper end of the vertical shaft 200, as illustrated in Fig. ll. The driving shaft 239. for the set of step-up gears has its'midportion rotatable in the fixed hub of the eccentric 242 and its upper end is rotatable in a bearing mounted within a projection, 252 (Fig. 19) on the inner surface of the crown, 84. Above the projectionZSZ the shaft 239 has fixed to it, a .driving gearZSd of the step-up set, The driving gear 25 meshes with a spur gear 256 keyed to the lower endof a hollow thread conducting shaft 258- rotatable in bearings 260 and 262 secured to the born 10, the bearings 260 and 262 being mounted concentrically with the axis of horn rotation and with the needle 2. Between the bearings 260 and 262 the hollow shaft 258 is surrounded by a sleeve 264 keyed to the shaft with freedom of movement axially along the shaft. The sleeve 264 forms an overload slip joint. with a bevel gear 266 rotatably mounted above it on the shaft 258 and provided with a V-notch cooperating with a projection on the sleeve 264, a compression spring 268 acting between the sleeve and a collar 270 on the hollow shaft to press the projection on the sleeve into the notch of the bevel gear 266 causing the bevel gear 266 to rotate with the hollow shaft. The upper end of the hollow shaft is provided with a nipple 272 through which the needle thread 62 is led to the whirl at the tip of the horn. The next gear of the step-up set is indicated at 274 and is of the bevel type meshing with the bevel gear 266. The bevel gear 274 is secured to the lower end of a countershaft 276 extending upwardly through the horn at an angle to the hollow shaft 258 and being connected in a conventional manner with the whirl 8, the over-all speed of rotation for the whirl being twice that of the sewing shaft 15.

To support the born for rotation about an axis intersecting the needle and to enable its free rotation, the;

opening into line with a similar opening 296 in the crown 84 so that convenient access is provided to the thread:

locks, their operating connections and other operating parts. The door 288 fits within the parallel grooves in the enclosure 286 to enable the door to slide throughout a full 360 rotation on the enclosure, affording easy assembly and adjustment of the parts inside the crown without removing the door from the enclosure.

The horn it is clamped by bolts 292 (see Figs. 1 and 10) to the upper surface of the cylindrical enclosure 286 and is rotatable with the enclosure on the bearing 284. To prevent movement of the opening 11 in the upper end of the horn out of alinement with the needle, the enclosure 236 has projecting from its inner surface near its lower edge a circular rail 294 engaged by a series of rolls, one of which is shown at 296 in Fig. 10. The' rolls. 296 are rotatably mounted upon vertical shoulder bolts 298 clamped'to projecting lugs on the crown 84.

,Having described an illustrative machine embodying features of the present invention, including'a novel mounting on the needle and awl bar carrier for the loop spread er, a whirl drive including a variable speed ratio drive ofparticular effectiveness and a slip joint advantageously placed for preventing damage to the needle threading instrumentalities, and particularly advantageous locking thread case retainers, together with operating mechanism therefor, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A McKay type shoe sewing machine forming and work-feeding devices including a straight hook needle and an awl, a rotatable shoe supporting horn, and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding needle loop towarda shoe onthe horn and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop and a carrier shiftable in the direction of work feed, in which the needle is mounted for reciprocation, in combination with means including having stitch-" a loop spreader mounted on thecarrier for movement spread each needle loop for presentation to the -loop-,

taker. t.

2. A McKay type shoe sewing machine having stitchforming and work-feeding devices including a straight hook needle and an awl, a rotatable shoe supporting horn,- and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding needle loop toward a shoe on the horn and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop and a carrier shiftable in the direction of work feed, in which the needle is mounted for reciprocation, in combination with means including a loop spreader pivotally mounted on the carrier to swing toward'and from the needle about an axis extending in the direction of work feed.

3. A McKay type shoe sewing machine having stitchforming and work-feeding devices including a straight hook needle, a rotatably shoe supporting horn, and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding needle loop toward a shoe on the horn and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop and a carrier shiftable in the direction of work feed, in which the needle is mounted for reciprocation, in combination with means including a loop spread-. er mounted on the carrier for movement toward and from the path of the needle to engage and spread each needle loop for presentation to the loop taker, and a straight awl mounted for reciprocation in the carrier toward and from a shoe on the horn.

4. A sewingmachine having stitch-forming and workfeeding devices including a straight hook needle, and a straight awl, a work support and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding loop toward the work and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop, and a carrier shiftable in the direction of work feed, in combination with needle and awl supporting bars of rectangular section slidably mounted in the carrier with flat side surfaces of the bars in contact with each other.

' 5. A sewing machine having a main frame, stitchforming and work-feeding devices in the frame including a straight hook needle and a straight awl, a Work support and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding loop toward the work and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop, in combination with a carrier mounted in the frame of the machine for shifting movement in the direction of work feed, and formed with a guideway of rectangular section extending perpendicular to the direction of the carrier shifting movement, and rectangular bars in the guideway, one of which'ba'rs has the needle secured to it and the other of which has the awl secured to it. v

6. A sewing machine having .a main frame, stitchforming and work-feeding devices in the frame including a straight hook needle and a straight awl, a work support and a loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding loop toward the work and to set the stitch formed by said preceding loop, in combination with a carrier mounted in the frame of the machine for shifting movement in the direction of work feed and formed with a guideway of rectangular section of which bars has the needle secured to it and the otherof which has the awl secured to it, the needle bar having a lengthwise groove and a needle-engaging member being slidable in said groove and connecting means between the needle-engaging member and the needle bar.

7. A sewing machine having a main frame, stitchforming and work-feeding devices in the frame including a straight hook needle and a straight awl, a work support and a'loop taker arranged when engaging each loop of needle thread to draw the preceding loop toward the work and to set the stitch formed ,by said precedingloop, in combination with a carrier mounted in the frame of'the machine for shifting movement in the direction of work feed and formed with a guideway of rectangular section extending perpendicular tothe direction of the carrier shifting movement, rectangular bars in the guideway, one of which bars has the needle secured to it and the other of which has the awl secured to it, the needle bar having a lengthwise groove and a needle-engaging member being slidable in said groove and connecting means between the needle-engaging member and the needle bar, comprising a pin on the needle bar arranged to engage the needle-engaging member while the needle bar is moving in one direction, and a releasable ball lock acting to move the needle member with the needle bar while the bar is moving in the other direction.

8. A shoe sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a straight hook needle, a straight work piercing awl, needle and awl bars and a carrier on which the needle and awl bars are supported for relative reciprocating movement, said carrier being movable along a line of a seam inserted by the stitch-forming devices, in Combination with means including a loop spreader mounted on the needle and awl bar carrier for relative movement toward and from the needle.

9. A shoe sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a straight hook needle, a straight work piercing awl, needle and awl bars and a carrier on which the needle and awl bars are supported for relative reciprocating movement, said carrier being movable along the line of a seam inserted by the stitch forming devices, in combination with means including an arm pivoted on the needle and awl bar carrier for swinging movement transverse to the seam line and. a loop spreader secured to. the arm.

10. A shoe sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a hook needle, 2. work support at the opposite side of the work from the needle, a needlethreading device, a presser foot at the side of the work with the needle for clamping the work on the work support, a multiple beak deep-toothed shuttle at the front of the machine and at the side of the work with the needle, said shuttle being arranged to take a loop of thread from the needle with one beak while another beak retains control of the previously formed loop of needle thread, a thread case with open front mounted within the shuttle for relative rotation, retainer members engaging the front of the thread case to prevent its rotation with the shuttle, a driver gear engaging teeth on the shuttle and a shaft on which the shuttle driving gear is mounted for rotation, in combination with a cam on the shuttle driving gear shaft connected to the thread case retainer members outside the diameter of the shuttle driver gear whereby a space is provided in front of said driver gear clear of obstruction from the front for removal of thread ends thrown off from the shuttle.

11. A shoe sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a hook needle, a work support at the opposite side of the work from the needle, a needle threading device, a presser foot at the side of the work with the needle for clamping the work on the W01; support, a multiple beak deep-toothed shuttle at the front of the machine and at the side of the work with the needle, said shuttle being arranged to take a loop of thread from the needle with one beak'while another beak retains control of the previously formed loop of needle thread, a thread case with open front mounted within the shuttle for relative rotatioinretainer members engaging the front of the thread case to prevent its rotation with the shuttle, a driver gear engaging teeth on the shuttle and a shaft on which the shuttle driving gear is mounted for rotation, in combination with mechanism for actuating the thread case retainer members comprising cam on the shuttle driver gear shaft, reciprocating, bars slidingly mounted formovernent 'in a direction par allel" to the shuttle driver gear shaft outside the shuttle and the shuttle driver gear, rolls engaging the cam on the shuttle driving gear shaft and connecting means between the bars and the thread case retainer members for actuating the thread case retainer members while providing space in front of the shuttle driver gear which is clear of obstruction from the front for removal of thread ends thrown olf by the shuttle.

12. A shoe sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a hook needle, a work support at the opposite side of the work from the needle, a needle threading device, a presser foot at the side of the work with the needle for clamping the work on the work support. a multiple beak deep-toothed shuttle at the front of the machine and at the side of the work with the needle, said shuttle being arranged to take a loop of thread from the needle with one beak while another beak retains control of the previously formed loop of needle thread, a thread case with open front mounted within the shuttle for relative rotation, retainer members engaging the front of the thread case to prevent its rotation with the shuttle, a driver gear engaging teeth on the shuttle and a shaft on which the shuttle driving gear is mounted for rotation, in combination with quickly releasable means for clamping the shuttle driver gear to its shaft in one of a number of different angular positions and a cam secured to the shuttle driver shaft and means connecting the cam to the thread case retainer members to enable angular adjustment of the shuttle driver gear on said shaft without changing the times of actuation for the thread case retainer members.

13. A McKay type shoe sewing machine having a frame, a main sewing shaft, stitch-forming devices in the frame driven from the shaft including a hook needle, a rotatable shoe supporting horn, a presser foot for clamping a shoe on the horn, a needle threading whirl mounted for rotation at the shoe engaging end of the horn, mechanism for driving the whirl from the sewing shaft including a set of step-up gears connected to the whirl, in combination with a rotating varying speed ratio drive comprising a cage connected for rotation with the main sewing shaft at a ratio of one to one, a gear segment rotatably mounted on the cage, a pinion engaging the gear segment, and means in the cage for oscillating the gear segment for temporarily increasing the rotary speed of the pinion while the needle is being threaded.

14. A McKay type shoe sewing machine having a frame, a main sewing shaft, stitch-forming devices in the frame driven from the shaft including a hook needle,

a rotatable shoe supporting horn, a presser foot for clamping a shoe on the born, a needle threading whirl mounted for rotation at the shoe engaging end of the horn, mechanism for driving the whirl from the sewing shaft including a set of step-up gears connected to the whirl, in combination with a rotating varying speed ratio drive comprising a cage connected for rotation with the main sewing shaft at a ratio of one to one, a gear segment rotatably mounted on the cage, a pinion engaging the gear segment, and means in the cage for oscillating the gear segment for temporarily increasing the rotary speed of the pinion while the needle is being threaded, including a vertical shaft, a disk mounted eccentrically to the vertical shaft and a strap surrounding the disk and connected to the gear segment.

15. A McKay type shoe sewing machine having a main frame, stitch-forming devices including a hook needle, a rotatable shoe supporting horn and a needle threading looper in the born, a set of driving gears for the looper including a hollow thread conducting shaft rotatably mounted in the horn in alinement with the axis of rotation of the born, a bevel gear on the hollow shaft, a countershaft in the horn mounted for rotation about an axis at an angle to the hollow shaft, and a bevel pinion on the countershaft in mesh with the bevel gear, in combination with an overload slip joint between the bevel gear and the hollow shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wemple Oct. 21, 1879 Bertrand Aug. 8, 1893 5 Doucet June 23, 1903 Brown Sept. 7, 1915 14 Bean Nov. 8, 1927 Leveque Nov. 24, 1931 Ashworth Oct. 24, 1933 Fowler July 24, 1934 Ashworth Mar. 2, 1954 Lestakis Aug. 17, 1954 Ashworth et a1. Mar. 6, 1956 

